Sparta Prague-Liverpool is a match valid for the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 and is played Thursday at 6:45 p.m.: live TV, likely lineups, predictions.
Prague is an away game that Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp would have gladly avoided if he could. Yes, because it happens just a few days before the long-awaited big match with Manchester City, a challenge that could be worth the title in the Premier League given that the two teams clash, along with Arsenal, that are fighting for first place, currently occupied by the Reds, at +1 on the Cityzens and +2 on the Gunners.
The Europa League challenge with Sparta Prague is therefore likely to take precious energy away from Liverpool, which has just come back from the narrow victory with Nottingham Forest in the league, decided in full recovery by a goal from Uruguayan Darwin Nunez (0-1). Klopp’s men probably felt some fatigue after a busy week, which began with the League Cup triumph against Chelsea at Wembley that enabled the Reds to lift their first title of the season. Liverpool thus remains in the running on all fronts and can dream of a historic en plein should they win the Europa League, Premier and FA Cup.
Klopp relies on the “canterani “
In the second continental event so far Klopp has often fielded formations packed with reserves but direct qualification to the round of 16 came anyway: 12 points in the group with Toulouse, USG and LASK Linz.
Sparta Prague, on the other hand, finished second behind Scottish Rangers, mocking the higher-ranked Betis on the last day. But it achieved the real feat in the play-offs, taking the scalp of Galatasaray, relegated from the Champions League: after losing 3-2 in Istanbul in the first leg, the team coached by Dane Brian Priske overwhelmed the Turks at the Generali Arena with a very clear 4-1 victory. Sparta is also flying in the Czech top league and last Sunday’s deadlocked draw in the derby with Slavia Prague allowed them to maintain a four-point lead over their city rivals. Klopp, as mentioned earlier, plans to field an experimental eleven, in which the likes of Quansah, McConnell and Elliott will find space. Three key recoveries instead for Priske, who rejoins Krejci, Birmancevic and Rynes.
The Prediction
Although preserving most of the starters ahead of the match with City, Liverpool should be able to avoid defeat in the tricky away match in Prague. Sparta, however, will make things difficult for the Reds, who will struggle to keep their goal unbroken.
The likely lineups for Sparta Prague-Liverpool
SPARTA PRAGUE (3-4-3): Vindahl; Vitik, Krejci, Sorensen; Preciado, Kairinen, Laci, Rynes; Birmancevic, Kuchta, Haraslin.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Kelleher; Gomez, Quansah, van Dijk, Tsimikas; McConnell, Endo, Szoboszlai; Elliott, Gakpo, Koumas.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
